Forbidden Territory
by EternalAmortentia
Summary: Ginny confronts Hermione about her interest in Lupin, and Hermione tries to convince herself otherwise.


**I see a lot of Hermione/Remus fics, so I thought I would do one that's a little bit different.**

**AU in their Trio's 6****th**** year, where Hermione and Ron never had feelings for each other.**

**BACKGROUND: I am aware that during the Christmas holidays the Harry and Ron stayed at The Burrow, not Grimmauld Place, but I preferred Grimmauld Place as my setting. Also, since Hermione isn't interested in Ron, they don't fight about Lavender, and she joins them to Grimmauld Place.. And I know that they found out about Horcruxes ****_after_**** the Christmas holidays, but this is AU where everything works my way to fit in with the story I wrote ;)**

**Disclaimer: As always, I don't own Harry Potter or the characters.**

"So who is it?" Ginny demanded, leaning against the doorframe of their shared room.

Hermione's head snapped up from the pile of books she was studying.

"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked, eyebrows furrowed at Ginny's sudden command. Ginny crossed the room to stand over the desk Hermione was sitting at, and pointed a finger at a page.

"That's the same book and the same page you were on the _last_ time I came in here." Ginny said rolling her eyes. "And, you've drawn all in the margins."

Hermione glanced at her book, which was messily decorated with black scrawls, ink blots flourishing from where her quill had dropped out of her hand.

"Oh no," Hermione groaned. "This is a library book! Madam Pince is going to kill me…"

"Er, Hermione?" The brown bushy head did not look up from the vandalised book. "Hermione! We live in a house _full_ of overage wizards and witches. They're not going to know." Hermione bit her lip, a conflicted look crossed her face.

"_Scourgify_," the scribbles vanished, and Hermione looked guiltily around, as if expecting a Ministry letter to appear.

"_That's_ what I'm talking about," Ginny said. "You've been on the same page for hours, _and_ you seem to have completely forgotten that you're a witch. Obviously your mind is on something, or someone else."

Hermione scowled at Ginny's smirk.

"Ginny not everything has to do with boys, despite what you may think," she said teasing. "It's been an intense year. I've got Horcruxes to worry about, Harry's obsession with that dangerous book and the non-stop snogging of your dear brother to deal with, and I've got N.E.W.T.'s to prepare for on top of all of that!"

Hermione had decided that Ginny was trustworthy enough to confide in with about the Horcruxes, she was after all, Harry's crush, Ron's sister and her closest friend.

"Yeah, but none of those things have ever made me stare dreamily out the window," Ginny said mischieviously. "I could see you all the way out from the field while we were playing Quidditch. Did you at least see me destroy Harry and Fred?"

Hermione sighed, shaking her head. She never understood the deal with Quidditch.

Ginny sat down on the bed Hermione used while staying the Grimmauld Place.

"Look Hermione, I see the way you look at him when you talk. And I totally get it," Ginny burst out, tactlessly. "He's on the same intellect level with you, unlike Harry and Ron, and you can actually have a mature, stimulating conversation with him, and he's just as serious as you about fighting in the Order, but Hermione-"

"He's old!" Hermione interrupted. She giggled unconvincingly, and very un-Hermione like. "I can't believe you think I have a -_crush_- on Lupin. I mean, he was my teacher!"

She looked at Ginny incredulously. "I think the stress of your OWL examinations are making you see things, Ginny."

Ginny rolled her eyes, not seeing through Hermione's façade.

"You've always been a terrible liar. And besides, you know I don't care about school. I just want to learn to fight and play Quidditch!" she swept her red hair over her shoulder.

Hermione slammed her book shut, and glared up and Ginny, a crimson blush blossoming on her cheeks.

"Yes, and that's the difference between you and me. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to find somewhere to study without getting distracted by petty schoolgirl gossip." Hermione huffed as she stormed out of Ginny's room.

Ginny laidd back on the mattress and smirked. Hermione definitely liked Remus Lupin.

Since her outburst with Ginny, Hermione had calmed herself down enough to eat dinner with the Order. Hermione had found solace in the drawing room, where Harry had once exiled himself.

Even the long table of Grimmauld Place was still crammed with the amount of members who had come to dinner this night.

Hermione was seated between Ron and Harry, and across from Ginny. Much to everyone's delight, Lavender had decided not to join them for the holidays.

No one except Hermione turned to look when Remus walked in, dinner was in full swing by then; Harry sneaking looks at Ginny as she joked around with Tonks, Ron piling his plate in more food than one plate could handle, among the other chatter of the Order.

Hermione quickly looked back down at her plate as she saw Ginny follow Hermione's gaze to where Remus had taken a seat next to Mr Weasley.

In the quick glance Hermione had stolen, she had noticed he looked more tired and worn out than usual, despite it not even being close to full moon yet. She pursed her lips and made a mental note to talk to him afterwards.

_'Or Harry_' she said to herself as an afterthought. She didn't want to give Ginny any more reason to think she was into Lupin, her ex-teacher. Her only _good_ Defence Against the Dark Arts ex-teacher.

Dinner passed quickly and eventfully; Tonks pulled herself out of her mood long enough to do an uncanny toad impression which looked creepily like Umbridge, and the twins let off one of their fireworks, causing Moody to jump so hard his eye popped out and into his soup.

Once she had finished helping Mrs Weasley clear the table, she made her way to the living room, where the remaining Order members were sitting around comfortably. Her eyes found Lupin, sitting in Harry's usual armchair, Firewhiskey in hand, flames making shadows on his face.

Hermione started towards him, but felt a small, and surprisingly strong hand on her arm, dragging her back.

"I know what you're thinking," Ginny whispered. "But you can't. You can't go comfort him. You know why he's upset? It's because of-"

"Because he and Tonks are in love. Yes, I know. Harry told me her Patronus is something big and hairy and I saw how your mum sat her next to Charlie, trying to distract her. I mean, look at her."

Hermione gestured discreetly over her shoulder to where Tonks was sitting on a stool next to where Mrs Weasley was cleaning dishes, mousy brown hair falling over her face.

"She's miserable. He's miserable. It's so obvious," Hermione muttered. "I guess she told you? You guys are pretty close."

"Yes, she did. Of all people I should have guessed that you would be the one to figure it out," Ginny replied. "Which is exactly why you can't even think about it, its' forbidden land. Tonks is very territorial when it comes to things like this."

"Ginny! The man is double my age! I care about him of course, but as a brother, or an uncle. I. don't. like. Him." Hermione hissed, fuming.

"What are you girls whispering about?" Tonks had popped her head between the two girls and they jumped, Ginny recovering first.

"We were just chatting about how Hermione fancies-"

"I do not –fancy- anyone," Hermione said through clenched teeth, glaring at Ginny.

Ginny sniggered and flipped her hair over her shoulder, prancing off towards her room, leaving Hermione standing awkwardly next to Tonks.

"Boy trouble?" Tonks asked, a smile on her lips that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"N-no, what about you? I saw you sitting next to Charlie at dinner," Hermione said, inwardly cringing at her attempt to initiate girl talk.

Tonks stared at Hermione, head cocked to one side before answering. "Molly's trying to set me up with him," she said flatly, not intending to divulge any more on the topic. "Anyway, I'm going to head off Hermione, see you."

She left Hermione standing in the doorway of the kitchen and living room, thoughts reeling. She sighed and made her way to Ginny's room to do some studying.

Hermione rubbed her eyes and leaned back in her chair, not in Ginny's room as she intended, but back in the drawing room, away from everyone else. It was dark and dingy like the rest of the place, but it had a desk which was good enough for Hermione.

She rose from the chair and started down the stairs to get a glass of water to sooth her dry throat. Halfway down the stairs, Hermione heard voices. She frowned, wondering who it was. It was at least half past midnight; surely no one was up by now.

She began to make her way back upstairs, when she recognised the voices below.

"Remus, I don't care! Do you care that I'm a Metamorphmagus? Or that Hagrid is half-giant? Or that Charlie has a weird obsession with dragons?" Tonks pleaded, attempting to make a joke.

"Of course not, but none of those things could endanger your life. None of those things could have you ostracised from our society! None of those things could potentially make you a target," Lupin growled back, attempting to keep his temper under control.

Hermione could imagine him running his hand through his sandy hair the way he has done, the few times Hermione has seen him agitated.

"You think I don't know that?" said Tonks choking on her words. "You think that I don't already have a target on my back, being a blood traitor to one of the biggest families involved in the Dark Arts? I know Remus, I know!"

"I'm too old for you Dora. I'm too broken," Lupin replied, sounding defeated.

_'If he think he's too old for her, he will definitely think he's too old for me'_ Hermione thought, then froze that the thought had even crossed her mind. She shook her head violently as if to shake the idea out of her head.

"I should go," Tonks murmured, after several minutes of silence. "I shouldn't have come back."

"You should have, we needed to discuss this," Lupin replied.

"Discuss? You mean you tell me the same reasons for not being with me and not considering how I feel?" Tonks sounded on the verge of tears. Hermione had never heard her like this, she always seemed so strong.

"You think I don't know how you feel? I was there too after the Ministry, if you remember."

"Of course I remember!" she exclaimed, then quickly dropped her voice to a hush. "You made me feel strong again, like we were going to fight this together. It was the happiest I've been, and I know you felt it too. I bet you think about it all the time."

Tonks' voice dropped from desperate to a husky tone. Hermione froze again. She should not be hearing this, but she could not move.

"Dora," Lupin said sternly. "Now is not the time. This is serious."

"When is the time then Remus?" She had dropped the husky tones. "You know where to find me if you have time. Later, Remus."

A loud pop signified that she had disapparated. Hermione had not noticed how still she was until the pop had jumped her out of position.

She heard Lupin sigh, and slump into one of the couches. It was now or never. Hermione inhaled, and tiptoed down the stairs.

She stood in the doorway, and watched him, eyes closed, Firewhiskey in one hand, a clump of his hair in the other, which was midway through running his hand through it. He looked older than he ever had.

"Uh, h-hi," Hermione squeaked. Lupin jumped to a start. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to listen, I was coming to get some water when I overheard…"

Hermione trailed off into nothing. They both knew what she had heard. Lupin squinted into the darkness where Hermione stood.

"Hermione?"

"Don't worry, I won't say anything, I'm just getting a drink and I'll be out of your hair." She rushed, racing to the kitchen, before he could say anything else.

She stood at the sink and drank, when she heard footsteps behind her.

"Would you consider dating a werewolf, Hermione?" when Lupin's voice reached her ears, Hermione froze at the sink, dropping her glass into the sink, water splashing up on her.

"Well ah, depends on the werewolf really," Hermione chuckled nervously, turning around as she wiped her hands on a nearby tea towel. "I mean, you wouldn't catch me with Greyback anytime soon."

Lupin stiffened. Cracking jokes was never Hermione's strong suit.

"Hermione," Lupin said wearily, pinching the top of his nose.

Hermione moved towards the closest chair to Remus, hesitating only slightly before taking a seat.

"Not dating someone because they're a werewolf is just as discriminating as not dating someone because they're Muggle-born," Hermione said matter-of-factly, staring down at her intertwined fingers. "So no, it wouldn't bother me if the person I loved was a werewolf."

She looked up from her hands and into Lupin's face.

"Hermione, you really are the brightest witch of your age I've ever met," He said, repeating his words from all those years ago, a slight smile playing on his lips. "You're lucky you don't have to deal with all this romance stuff yet."

Hermione felt her stomach sink. How old did he think she was? She was seventeen, for Merlin's sake, an adult!

"Believe me, putting up with Lavender and Ron's eternal snogging has put me off relationships for a long, long time," Hermione joked. It wasn't hard to feign disgust, being around Lavender and Ron during their make out sessions was unbearable.

Lupin laughed, his eyes lighting up at last. Hermione was pleased.

"Yes, Harry did tell me it was rather agonising to watch," Lupin chuckled, and then sighed.

After a few moments of quiet, Hermione broke the silence.

"I should probably get to bed. Are you staying here tonight?"

"Well, I've probably drunk too much to apparate properly," he said, lifting up the almost empty Firewhiskey bottle. "I'm just going to sleep on the couch."

"Don't be daft, stay in Sirius' old room," Hermione suggested. "I'll show you."

"I never did see Sirius' room here," Remus said, looking into the distance, in thought. "A half-breed wouldn't dare come to such a Pure Blood obsessed house. Sirius didn't even want to be here."

Hermione lead Remus up to the top of the house, and gestured to the door with 'Sirius' on the nameplate'.

Remus opened the door, and a roar of laughter escaped his mouth. Hermione peered in to see what had caused it. The red and gold almost blinded her, in comparison to the rest of the dreary house. Unmoving photographs of motorbikes and bikini clad girls also covered the walls.

Hermione stifled a giggle, hand over her mouth.

Remus turned to look at her, and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Thank you Hermione," he said, looking genuinely grateful. "I never believed in this sort of thing, but you have an old soul. Sometimes I can't believe you're only seventeen."

"Goodnight Remus," Hermione murmured, turning away before he could see the glow that must have been coming from her cheeks, they were that hot.

She quietly slipped down the stairs and into the bedroom where Ginny slept, soft snores coming from the nest of red hair.

Hermione got into bed, and ran her hands over her face and into her bushy hair.

'_This cannot be happening,'_ Hermione thought to herself. '_I need to focus, honestly, exams are coming up, get it together!'_


End file.
